Celebrate Your Fairfax Senior Parent’s Career This Memorial Day
Fairfax Seniors Take Time to Start the Summer by Sharing a Memory of their Past
Older Americans Month Seniors are Giving back with Memories of Past Memorial Days
Many people think of Memorial Day as the unofficial start of summer, a first chance to relish barbecue and the outdoors. However, the origin of Memorial day an American holiday, observed on the last Monday of May, honoring the men and women who died while serving in the U.S. military. Memorial Day 2019 occurs on Monday, May 27. Originally known as Decoration Day, it originated in the years following the Civil War and became an official federal holiday in 1971. Many Americans observe Memorial Day by visiting cemeteries or memorials, holding family gatherings and participating in parades. Unofficially, it marks the beginning of the summer season.[1]
So in addition to firing up the grill this holiday weekend, why not spend some time celebrating your parent’s or grandparent’s professional achievements? Whether he or she was a teacher, soldier, or homemaker, asking questions and creating a life story can provide a meaningful and memorable way to spend time together.
Have a Conversation
After making sure your parent or grandparent is open to it, set aside some time to sit together and ask about his or her career. There are a number of ways to do this. You might give a curious grandchild the assignment to act as a “reporter” for the day, coming up with questions to ask Grandma or Grandpa about education and work. Or, you might simply gather the family around for a casual conversation.
Here are a few sample questions BrightStar Care of Fairfax recommends to get you started:
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How did you come to choose your career? What sort of education/training did you have to go through for your job?
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What was a typical day like at your job?
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Did you have any favorite friends at work?
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Did you have fun at work?
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What about the little things? How did you get to work? What did you eat for lunch? What was your workspace like?
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Did you make any big career changes? What was that like? Was it scary or exciting?
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How did your field/industry change over the years?
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Do you have any wisdom or advice for today’s workers?
In order to make this a positive experience for all, make sure to tailor your questions and approach to be sensitive to your parent’s needs. During the memory or story your loved one share try capturing the conversation in a life story book or media format so you can create a memento that you can save forever, to share with your next generations to come. [1] https://www.history.com/topics/holidays/memorial-day-history
BrightStar Care of Fairfax, VA provides in home care for seniors in Fairfax. To schedule an in-home consultation with our Registered Nurse Director of Nursing, contact BrightStar Care of Fairfax at (703) 267-2380. Source: https://www.brightstarcare.corm/fairfax